Bargaining
by BrightEyed-Jill
Summary: Lyle is not a big fan of Claire’s new admirer. Written for the LiveJournal Heroes Last Author Standing contest, Round 1, Challenge 1: Lyle Bennet.


**Title:** Bargaining  
**Rating:** PG  
**Warning:**Season Two spoilers. Takes place between 2x02: Lizards and 2x03: Kindred.   
**Summary:** Lyle is not a big fan of Claire's new admirer.   
**Author's note:** Written for **heroeslas** Round 1, Challenge 1: Lyle Bennet.

The first time West talked to him, Lyle wasn't sure what to think. After all, Lyle didn't know anyone at Costa Verde, but a lot of other freshmen didn't either, so it wasn't bad. It was obvious, though, from West's self-assurance, the way the crowds in the hallways parted for him, that he was no freshman. He was not to be messed with.

West had been leaning against Lyle's locker after fifth period. "You're Lyle Butler, right?"

He didn't like the way West said his last name. "Yeah," Lyle said warily. He wondered if he should just walk away, history textbook be damned.

"I wanted to ask you a favor."

"What?"

"Come with me."

"Uh… no." Down the hallway, a bell sounded, and the halls started to empty. Lyle took a step backward. "I have to get to class."

"You're skipping class," said West. He grabbed Lyle's arm and pulled him down the hallway. No one so much as batted an eye at them.

West pulled Lyle out an un-labeled door, and suddenly they were both blinking in the bright afternoon sunshine. The door clicked shut, and Lyle was alone with West.

"I know Tae Kwan Do," Lyle said warningly. It just sort of slipped out, because that's what he was thinking. He just knew this guy had brought him out here to beat him up, or whatever these Costa Verde kids did to torture freshman.

"That's great, Lyle," said West. His smile wasn't a pleasant one. "Here's my question. Are you a freak?"

"What?"

"Like your sister. Are you a freak?"

"Uh, I don't know what you mean." His mouth was suddenly very dry.

"I think you do know what I mean." West grabbed for Lyle, and Lyle dodged. He may only be a yellow belt in Tae Kwan Do, but he'd had plenty of practice dodging bullies, not to mention his sister. He slipped between West's hands and took off running toward the parking lot.

Lyle didn't hear the pounding feet that would mean pursuit, so he risked a look back; he couldn't see West. Then, when he turned back, West was in front of him. He hadn't seen him move, but Lyle practically ran into the guy. West grabbed one of Lyle's arms and twisted it up behind his back.

"Let's try this again, Lyle. Are you a freak?"

"I don't know what you mean!"

West twisted his arm harder. "Let me clear it up for you, then. If I broke your arm, would the bones go right back together again?"

Lyle thought maybe he was going to throw up, but he didn't know if it was from the pain shooting up his shoulder or from fear. Who _was_ this guy? "That's crazy," he managed.

"Is it? Would your sister say it's crazy?"

"Uh…" This was very, very bad.

"I bet you are like your sister. Maybe I should break your arm and find out." He twisted, hard, and Lyle yelped.

"No, don't! I'm not like her!" 

West released Lyle's arm with a little push that sent Lyle sprawling to the pavement. "I knew it," said West. "Your sister's a freak."

Lyle gaped at him. "No, it's not like that!"

West rolled his eyes. "Do you think I'm stupid, Lyle?"

"Don't tell her I told you," Lyle blurted out.

West paused for a moment and looked thoughtful. "Why not? Would she be mad?"

Lyle paled. Would Claire be mad? It wasn't her he was worried about. If Mom and Dad found out he'd blown their cover, if they had to run again… "Don't tell anyone," he said. "Please." He knew it was pathetic, but he had to try.

West smiled at him. "Okay, Lyle. I'll make a deal with you. If you do something for me, I won't tell anyone your sister's a freak show."

"What do you want me to do?"

Lyle trudged up the hill after soccer practice, and scowled to see West waiting for him by the entrance to the gym. The rest of the team headed on to the locker room, but Lyle reluctantly made his way over to where West stood, an insufferable smile plastered on his face. 

"How was practice?"

"Here," said Lyle, thrusting out his hand with Claire's phone. "Are you happy?"

"Hold on a sec," said West. "A Sidekick. Nice." He turned the phone on and pressed a few buttons. Lyle couldn't see what he was doing, but soon Lyle was copying a phone number onto a scrap of paper in his hand. "A New York area code? Weird." Distractedly, he shoved the phone back at Lyle and walked away.

Dinner was even more intolerable than usual. Lyle sat picking at his spaghetti while his parents exchanged uneasy glances with each other and stared at the clock as it ticked past five, five-oh-one, five-oh-two, five-fourteen. Lyle thought maybe his dad was going to have an aneurism. At five twenty-two, the front door slammed, and a shame-faced Claire slid into her place at the table.

"Sorry I'm late. I know I should have called," Claire said sheepishly before Mr. Bennett could speak. "I thought I brought my phone with me this morning. I always put it in my bag."

"Well, with the excitement of driving to school for the first time, I'm not surprised you forgot," Mrs. Bennett said indulgently, jumping in before Mr. Bennett could open his mouth. "It was sitting on the kitchen table when I got home, so you must have left it there when you ran out of the house."

"But I don't remember taking it out of the bag! Besides," she said sullenly, "It's not like I have any friends to call."

Lyle kept picking at his spaghetti.

The next morning, when Lyle opened his locker a piece of paper fluttered to the floor of the hallway. "Get her car keys," it said.

Lyle crumpled the piece of paper angrily and stuck it in his pocket. He was really starting to hate this West guy.


End file.
